2023: Lagos APC Aspirants Forum begins market campaigns for Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu

The Lagos State House of Assembly Aspirants Forum (LAHAA) has shifted its campaigns to markets across the state ahead of the general elections.

The forum, which is part of the Independent Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is canvassing support for Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the party’s other candidates.

At the weekend, members of the forum were at the Onigbongbo market in Ikeja Local Government Area where they were well received by the market men and women.

Strategy

The central coordinator of the directorate, Adeyinka Odukoya, told PREMIUM TIMES that the forum has set for itself a mission of capturing about three million votes for both Mr Tinubu and Governor Sanwo-Olu in the next election.

He said in the coming days, the members would be visiting other major markets in all 20 local governments of the state.

“We have promised to galvanize three million votes for Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu in the 2023 election and if we really want to execute that project we have to go to the people that matter and we know that markets are places where we can find people from different strata of the society including religion, ethnic and social order.

“When we take the message to the market, we are speaking with all Nigerians. We are storming all major markets across the state to tell them about Asiwaju and Sanwo-Olu and they will, in turn, take the message back to their various communities,” he said.

The Coordinator of LAHAA Forum in Ikeja LGA, Adebiyi Adesipe, said it was strategic to kick start the initiative in his local government where Tinubu comes from.

He added that despite losing the party tickets, they were obliged to support all the candidates of the APC on the ballot papers.

“We are behind Asiwaju and Governor Sanwoolu; everybody that contested in the last primaries whether we got the tickets or not are solidly behind all of our candidates and are campaigning as if they are the ones on the ballot papers and we are holding our bloc for Asiwaju and other APC candidates.

“If we are saying we want to touch the grassroots and we didn’t reach the markets, it means we are not serious about this election,” he noted.

On his part, Chairman of the Committee on Strategy and Operations, Sola Akande believes their task has been made simpler since both Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu are ‘credible’ candidates that can easily be sold to everyone that knows their track record.

“These two people represent efficiency in governance and that is why we have come solidly behind them to encourage all Lagosians to accept their candidacies.” Mr Akande stated.

On their part, representatives of the Onigbongbo market assured they would be actively involved in the coming polls as they are keen to elect only those with their interests at heart.

The Iyaloja of Onigbongbo market said virtually all the traders have collected their Permanent Voters Cards and are ready to exercise their civic duties.

“We don’t vote for money, we vote for competence and Asiwaju is our man,” she said.

Rasaki Akerele, the Babaloja of Onigbongbo market, hinted that a mega rally by traders across the state is being planned for Monday 30 January at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.